This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls - including on hazardous air quality from the Canadian wildfires, battleground voters in Michigan and Nevada, and Michigan voters and Ford's new EV battery plant.

See this webpage for links to all the following resources.

HEADLINES

Data for Progress – Most voters heard a lot about hazardous air quality from the Canadian wildfires; three in four believe climate change played some role, but partisans diverge widely in their interpretations of this and other extreme weather events [Article, Crosstabs]

[MI + NV] Climate Power – Battleground voters in Michigan and Nevada have heard little about the Biden administration’s clean energy plan, but quickly warm to it in response to positive messaging; proof points about reducing costs, creating jobs, and improving the grid are particularly persuasive [MI Deck, NV Deck]

[MI] Climate Power – Michigan voters widely approve of the decision to bring Ford’s new EV battery plant to the state; support for the plant withstands criticism about using Chinese technology [Memo]

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Americans continue to view extreme weather events like the Canadian wildfires through a partisan lens. Data for Progress finds that most voters across the country link the Canadian wildfires and related air quality issues to climate change, but voters have drastically different interpretations based on their partisan affiliation: whereas Democrats mostly blame climate change and fossil fuel corporations for the event, Republicans primarily blame natural weather patterns and poor land management. In order to make future events like this more impactful in waking people up to the present-day effects of climate change, advocates need to lay a stronger foundation of public understanding about the climate-weather connection and specifically combat right-wing talking points about “natural patterns.”
   
• Clean energy is a winning issue in battleground states, but voters need to hear more about the benefits for consumers and the economy. Climate Power finds that voters in key battleground states including Michigan and Nevada are inclined to support the Biden administration’s clean energy plan if they hear details about what it contains, but are largely in the dark about it. To fill this information void and build support for the clean energy transition, it is most effective for advocates to focus on the clean energy plan’s cost savings for consumers and economic benefits – including new jobs for a wide range of workers.
   
• Voters are much more inclined to believe in the long-term cost savings from the clean energy transition than the short-term cost savings. Climate Power finds that voters in Michigan and Nevada generally assume that the increased use of clean energy will cost them more money in the next year or two, but are more open to the idea that the transition will save them money over the next ten years and beyond. Findings like this indicate that advocates need to use different messaging to talk about the short-term versus long-term cost impacts of the clean energy transition. Additionally, we need to provide the public with more proof points about how clean energy and energy efficiency can save them money right now – not down the line.
   

GOOD DATA POINTS TO HIGHLIGHT

• [Extreme Weather + Climate Change] 68% of voters recognize that climate change contributes at least “some” to extreme weather events [Data for Progress]
   
• [Climate Change] 62% of voters are concerned about the impacts of climate change on their community [Data for Progress]
   
• [Wildfires + Climate Change] 59% of voters blame climate change at least “some” for the Canadian wildfires that brought smoke and air pollution into the U.S. [Data for Progress]
   
• [Issue Priority] More Americans name climate change and the environment as the single “most important issue” to them than any other issue aside from inflation/prices, health care, and the economy/jobs [The Economist + YouGov]
   
• [Michigan – EV Battery Plant] 61% of Michigan voters have a favorable reaction to Ford’s new EV battery plant that is being built in the state, while just 18% have an unfavorable reaction [Climate Power]
   
• [Michigan – Climate Action] Majorities of Michigan voters say that President Biden (58%) and Democrats in Michigan’s government (55%) are doing “too little” to address climate change [Climate Power]
   
• [Nevada – Climate Action] Majorities of Nevada voters say that President Biden (52%) and Democrats in Nevada’s government (53%) are doing “too little” to address climate change [Climate Power]